News

Tornado Survivor Finds His Missing Dog Buried Alive Under Rubble

Related Tags:

WASHINGTON, Ill. (CBS St. Louis) – When a deadly tornado tore through a man’s town Sunday, he thought his dog was gone forever.

But to Jon Byler Dann’s amazement, his beloved dog named Maggie managed to survive the tornado that completely destroyed his home, according to a report by the Weather Underground.

Byler Dann, 37, was able to get to his basement quickly with his four young children before the storm hit. However, he couldn’t coax the 11-year-old family dog into the safe room and she refused to leave the kennel. He had to leave her behind.

Once the tornado had passed, he emerged from the basement and found his home completely destroyed and assumed Maggie had perished.

After 30 hours of searching through the rubble the storm left behind, Byler Dann’s family friends heard barking coming from underneath where they were standing.

They immediately started digging through the rubble and found Maggie alive wrapped in a piece of carpeting and debris. Byler Dann burst into tears when he embraced her and posted photos to his Facebook page.

“I felt intense relief and elation but also just panic,” Byler Dann explained to the Weather Underground about finding Maggie. “I’m very thankful and blessed to have my wife and my children. And finding my dog was unreal.”

Maggie is expected to be okay. She is being treated for broken bones and internal injuries.